Hot Ziggety Dog! Astros’ fans have listened to some of the best

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The Astros have had their share of star players, but over the years, the organization has enjoyed all stars in another category: quality announcers, both on television and radio. From Gene Elston and Milo Hamilton to Larry Dierker and Loel Passe, Houston fans have listened to some of the best.

As I’ve often recounted in these pages, I grew up in North Louisiana listening to Elston and Passe on my small radio, often huddled under the covers trying to keep the static quiet so my mom and dad wouldn’t come in and make me turn off the game and go to sleep. Memories like those are among the best of my childhood. Elston, Hamilton, Brown: 50years of top notch announcers few other teams can match.

Today, it doesn’t get much better than Bill Brown and Jim Deshaies as a broadcast team, but picking one announcer as the all-time best for Houston…well, that’s another story.

So just who is the best announcer the Astros have ever had? Tough choice. Tougher even than choosing the best player in the organization’s history. I’ve placed them in alphabetical order and I’ll reveal my selection at the end.

Alan Ashby. He rides in good company with the likes of Gerry Hunsicker and Billy Wagner, each of whom left their positions over apparent rifts with former owner Drayton McLane. Proving his value, it didn’t take him long to land in Toronto, where he continues today as one of the key announcers for the Blue Jays.

Bill Brown. Brown, who was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, is smooth and simple in his approach to the telecast. He knows the value of a good color analyst and he’s worked with a couple of the best, but he should be recognized in his own right as one of the best play by play announcers. No, he doesn’t stand out, doesn’t draw attention to himself, but that’s the way it should be, right?

Jim Deshaies. The former Astros’ lefty started his broadcaster run when Dierker moved to the dugout in 1997. Like Dierker, his knowledge and sheer baseball smarts provides fans keen insight into games. He’s honed his skills well since then and fans would likely revolt if new management were to attempt to move him. He may be as untouchable as anyone in the organization.

Larry Dierker. Many of you recently selected him as Mr. Astro for the first 50 years of the organization. After his pitching career ended, Dierker joined the radio team in 1979 until he became manager of the club. He was as colorful as any Astros’ announcer and added value to the broadcast with his humor and the regular editions of the Baseball Library. Oh, and there were those Hawaiian shirts.

Gene Elston. A winner of the Ford Frick Award, Elston actually joined the Houston team 1961 to broadcast the final year of the Houston Buffs’ minor league team. Among other highlights, Elston called the Astros’ first two playoff seasons and Nolan Ryan’s fifth no-hitter.

Milo Hamilton. The man who called Hank Aaron’s 715th home run should be remembered for his many all star years. He’s been in Houston since 1985 after years with the Cardinals, Cubs, White Sox, Braves and Pirates. He won the Ford Frick Award back in 1992, one year before McLane became owner of the team.

Harry Kalas. Before he went on to notoriety with the Phillies and NFL Films, Kalas was one of the original Astros’ announcers from 1965-70. He was one of four Astros’ announcers who have won the Ford Frick Award.

Loel Passe. One of the original Astros’ broadcasters, Passe was part of the team from 1962-1976. For those of us who grew up wtih Astros’ baseball on the old transistor radio, Passe had those familiar one liners that just made you smile, like “Now you chunkin’ in there!” “And he breezed him one more time,” is one of my favorites. “Everyday is Memorial Day in the Astrodome” is another quip attributed to Passe. He died in 1997 and is a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.

Just like it would have been great to see Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell play with Cesar Cedeno and maybe Jimmy Wynn, so too would I love to hear Deshaies teammed with Elston or maybe Brown with Passe. How ’bout Dierker and Kalas? The Astros have had some good ones. I’m partial to a few, but not enough to make one pick.